Method of making motor-vehicle bodies



Oct.' 9, 1928.

H. J, COYNE METHOD OF MAKING MOTOR VEHICLE BODIES F1ed June 7, 1925.4

Patented @et 9, 1928.

`carre etarras cerise.

HARRY i. corna, or wa'rnnrown, MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD or Maxine iroroavnnrcnn Bonnie.`

Application filed June 7, 1926'. ISerial No; 114,288.k

The present invention relates to a methodv of making motor vehicle bodies and more particularly to a method of this character c especially applicable to the production of duced at a minimum of time and cost and Without the disadvantages inherent in eX- listing methods. VMy method contemplates the production of a Webof loosely matted, fibrous material of insufcient strength to permit considerable or sustained handling, securing to this Vloosely matted web a fabric support by means of stitching, cutting the thus reinforced Web to the dimensions 'of the body to form a pad,'securing the pad to the skeleton body structure With the fabi-ic 'underneath and in engagement with the transverse top supports, and finally applying overthe pad an outer cover of finish inaterial. rlhis may be secured atits margin in anyl lesii'ed manner. By virtue yof this method several desirable results are accoml plished. In the first place the loosely lmatted Web may be produced of cotton, or similar fibrous material, cheaply and in large volume. it is preferable to form this web by a gai'netting operation Which enables the web to be delivered in any desired Width and thickness. The Web so produced, although incapable of severe or sustained handling, nevertheless is of sufcient strength to be connected by stitching to a reinforcing support or backing of fabric. Thus reinforced, the web may be maintained in the form of a roll until ready forA use or maybe immediately cut to the proper dimensions to form pads suitable for application to a body. The reinforcing support for the web may consist of any light and inexpensive fabric `ca pable of supporting the web and assuming the strain of attachment of the finished pad to the skeleton body structure. A light cheesecloth or tobacco cloth has been found Well suited for this purpose, the web being connected thereto by a plurality of spaced, longitudinal lines of stitching. rlhev rein forced Web cutto the proper dimensions andv constituting a supporting deck padis laid over the skeleton'top and securedthereto about its margin. The employment ofthe fabric backing permits the pad to be secured under sufficient tension to kmaintain smoothly in place. After the application of the deck pad the finislimaterial is applied and stretched taut theieover, this finish coverU being Valso secured at its margin, the fasten;

ers being preferably covered by the usual formlof Welt or beading".

ln vthe accompanying 'drawings illustrating diagrammatically the several steps which complete the improved"method,

Fig. l represents the formation of a loosely matted web of fibrous material;

2 is the combining of this Web i'vith a reinforcing fabric backingthrough :a 'pluralityof seams; y

Fig.r 3 isa finished deck proper' dimensions; and

Fig. ft is tne incorporation of the deck maas pad out to theY pad in an automobile top with a covering of Y finish material tliereover.

According to the drawing, a loose Web of cotton or similar fibrous kmaterial is produced by a garnetting operation as indicated gener1- allyin Fig. l, the iveb being delivered from a conveyor 10 onto a transverse conveyor 12, the travel of which may be regulated to produce any desired Width of web. ln producing the Web for the production of the motor vehicle tops, it is customary to form a. web

about fifty-four inches in Width` correspon'ding to the Width of the top. After its com.- pletion the finished web isrolled in order to aid in handling and is thereafter combined, as indicated in Fig. 2, With'a reinforcing fab-l roll of fabric combined therewith` at 16. The tvvo are passed over a supporting table 18 beneath a series of needles 2O which serve to form a plurality of seams or lines vof stitches,

uniting the Web' to the fabric in a manner forcing Web may be handled in a roll orcut to t-he proper dimensions, as desired. Fig. 8

l ric. Vilhe roll of Web is shown at 14 andthe l indicates sucli'a reinforced web in the formv` i of a finished deck pad. Thereafter thedeck pad is superimposed over the skeleton fra-me 22 in an automobile top, this frame comprising the usual longitudinal supports v24 with'v cross 'braces 26. The longitudinal supports Y may if desired have Wooden grounds 28 laid in recesses or grooves to provide an attaching base for the top material. Thev deck padmayv be secured, if desired,'at its margin tothe ground Vand thereafter covered by finish maiiof ,tvelialr 30 also secured at its-inarv'in to the ground 28 provided with a finish beading 32. With this forni of construction the top may be simply and readily constructed of tvvoparts consisting of the reinforced deck pad and the finish material secured to the skeleton frame. WV hen so constructed it presents Y a neat and pleasing appearance, free from unvadditional sheet of fabric'is employed, both sheets of fabric are. connected to the Web in a single sewingoperation.

hat is claimed is z l. A method of making, motor vehicle tops ivliich consists in producinga loosely mattedv Web of fibrous material incapable of sustained handling and having a Width at least equal to the Width yof the opening in the top, connecting the loose fibrous Web to a fabric backing support by stitching;` cutting the thus `reinforced web into lengths coiniiieiisurate With the Vlength of the top opening to forni individual pads, applying-the pad to a skele` ton top structure with the fabric support underneath and directly engaging with the structure, securing the vpad to the structure,

finally applying a finish cover over the pad,

and securing` the cover at opposite edges to maintain it in a taut condition bearing upon the yielding' material of the pad. y y i 2. An automobilel top comprising spaced supports constituting` a skeleton framework,

asupporting fabric overlying the spaced sup# ports and closing-the opening,- in the top, theV fabric being secured directly to the skeleton so i" framework atl its edges to maintain a taut y K condition, a loosely matted Web of ibrous'iiia- `ei'ial stitched to the fabric and having sufii-v cient thickness and resiliency to serve as al padding, and `a finish cover superimposed over the padding and secured to the frame; work at its edges to maintain a. taut condition in engagement With `the fibrous material, the latter being,` supportedby the connected fabric. t

HARRY J, ooYNE. 

